Sam Smith’s Return is ‘Too Good’

It’s said that great things are worth waiting for and that certainly is the case regarding the return of Sam Smith to the music world with his latest single “Too Good at Goodbyes.” After Smith’s Oscar winning song “Writings on the Walls,” released in 2015, he took a hiatus from the music industry and has resurfaced with this new single, which came out on Sept. 8.

A brief piano chord is what sets the smooth tone for Sam Smith’s latest release which showcases his vulnerability, beautifully paired with piano throughout the song. Smith’s lyrics are true, raw and display Smith’s sense of humbleness. The pre-chorus that is repeated throughout the song is, “everytime you hurt me, the less that I cry/ And every time you leave me, the quicker these tears dry,” the lyrics show a dynamic balance between Smith’s emotional side and his badass, realistic attitude. He admits that the girl he’s referencing in the song has the ability to hurt him or cause him pain, yet he wants to prevent this pain by admitting this relationship is toxic.

The lyrics then climax to a chorus where a gospel choir joins in. One major critique I have toward Smith’s single is the abrupt and unexpected addition of the gospel choir to the piece. It was a bold decision, yet I feel it detracts from the soft, quiet and melancholy tone of the rest of the song. Typically I think of a gospel choir as a group of people who are joyous, people who are praising something — it just doesn’t fit with the rest of what the song sounds like or is trying to portray.

“Too Good at Goodbyes” was taken from Smith’s forthcoming album which will be released sometime before Christmas. According to New Musical Express during an interview, Smith explained that his upcoming album will accentuate everything he has gone through and learned about throughout the past two years.

“There’s about four songs that are about me and the rest are about different things and different people in my life and what they’ve gone through,” said Smith. “Different in my opinions on different things. I wanted to welcome people back in and I want it to be about my voice and about the storytelling of something that I’ve gone through.”

Supporters and fans of Smith can listen to this single from his upcoming album at a local concert. According to billboard.com, Smith will play on four different dates at four different locations later this month, Los Angeles, London, Berlin and New York on Sept. 13. In the meantime, the specific venues for these concerts are being kept secret.